hamas wants israel to stop killing its leaders to end the blockade to gaza, but people are both sides of the border are living in fear. >>> president obama made his first public comments about the crisis today while overseas on a historic three-nation tour of southeast asia, including the first-ever visit by an american president to myian mar. chuck todd is traveling with the president. >> reporter: the president touched down at bangkok on sunday on a three-day whirlwind trip to east asia. he used a joint press congress fence with the prime minister of thailand to strongly support israel's right to defend lisits. >> there's no country on earth that would tolerate missiles raining down on its citizens from outside it's borders. we fully support israel's right to defend itself. >> reporter: the president issues a plea to allies of the palestinians playing on their hope that including a palestinian state next to israel. >> if we see a further escalation of the strikes on gaza, then the likelihood of getting back on any kind of a peace track that leads to any kind of solution is going to